| a_s1576_25_c89-023 | Interview with sponge diving helmet maker Anthony Lerios | Sound | Diving helmet maker
Arts, Greek
Greek Americans
Interviews
Sponge divers
Sponges
Life histories
Oral histories
Emigration and immigration
Helmets
Oral narratives
Sound recordings
Metal craft
Occupational groups
Apprentices | /fpc/memory/omeka_images/thumbnails/catalog_audio.jpg |
Interview with sponge diving helmet maker Anthony Lerios
- Date
- 1989-06-25
- Description
- Three audio cassettes. Born 3 December 1902, Lerios was a Greek immigrant who made sponge diving helmets. He arrived in Tarpons Springs in 1913 to work in a machine shop. He soon owned his own, and made helmets. Also made and fixed engines and pumps. He also discussing making helmets, changes in the sponge industry, his health, training his grandson Nick Toth as an apprentice in helmet making, and local Greek culture. Nick Toth helped his grandfather throughout the interview. Continued on C89-24 and C89-35. Recorded at the Sponge Industry Folk Arts festival, festival sounds can be heard throughout. The festival was held June 24-25, 1989 to celebrate Tarpon Springs heritage of sponge diving, a practice that dated back to the 1890s. By 1905, when 500 Greek immigrants answered an ad to be sponge divers, the town acquired a distinctive Greek flavor, as the Greek Americans thrived in the sponge industry. At one point, Florida provided 95% of the nation's sponges. Although today over fishing and synthetic materials have undercut the sponge diving industry, the tradition lives on in Greek families, and through tourism.
- Collection
| a_s1640_20_tape12 | Interview with Greek dive helmet maker Antonio Lerios | Sound | Diving helmet maker
Apprentices
Greek Americans
Helmets
Interviews
Diving
Diving Equipment and supplies
Sponge fisheries
Sponge divers
Life histories
Copper
Metal craft | /fpc/memory/omeka_images/thumbnails/catalog_audio.jpg |
Interview with Greek dive helmet maker Antonio Lerios
- Date
- 1986-02-12
- Description
- One audio casette. The Folk Arts Apprenticeship Program began in 1983 with a NEA grant of $22,000. The program provided an opportunity for master folk artists to share technical skills and cultural knowledge with apprentices in order to keep the tradition alive. Apprentices must have had some experience in the tradition and agreed to train for at least six months. The first project director was Blanton Owen, later replaced by folklorist Peter Roller. The program was continued each year through 2003.
- Collection
| a_s1708_04_tape23 | Interview with sponge fisher Sylvester Jackson | Sound | Fishers
Fieldwork
Oral histories
Life histories
Sound recordings
Interviews
Sponge divers
African Americans
Sponges
Sponge fisheries
Fishing | /fpc/memory/omeka_images/thumbnails/audio.jpg |
Interview with sponge fisher Sylvester Jackson
- Date
- 1987-03-24
- Description
- One audio cassette. Jackson was one of the few non-Greek sponge divers in Tarpon Springs in the early 20th Century. He discusses many conflicts between the Greek community and other local peoples. The Florida Folk Arts Survey was conducted in 1987 by folklorists Tina Bucuvalis, Steve Frangos, Merri Belland, and Barbara Seitz as preliminary research for a joint folk art between the Florida Folklife Program and the Florida Museum of History. The field researchers focused on those areas previously overlooked by FFP staff. The research focused on identifying folk artists and locating appropriate exhibit objects.
- Collection
| Fieldwork for Every Island Has Its Own Song (Video 1) | Fieldwork for Every Island Has Its Own Song (Video 1) | Moving Image | Students
Priests
Fieldwork
Sponge fisheries
Diving
Diving Equipment and supplies
Religious rites
Greek Americans
Sponge divers | /fpc/memory/omeka_images/thumbnails/catalog_video.jpg |
Fieldwork for Every Island Has Its Own Song (Video 1)
- Date
- 1987-11
- Description
- One video recording. 20 minutes. (Copy can be found on FV-1, S 1615). Includes Greek School blessing (by Father Tryfon Theophilopolus), shots of sponge boats at sponge docks, shots of St. Michaels shrine. Created for the Every Island Has Its Own Song project. The finished product was a documentary about Nikitas Tsimouris, a Greek bagpipe player, and his family, and the Tarpon Springs Greek community he lived in. A co-production of WEDO-TV and the FFP, it was funded in part by the Florida Endowment for the Humanities. Offenbach narrated. Folklorist Michael researched, wrote and produced, and Yvonne Bryant was assistant producer.
- Collection
| Fieldwork for Every Island Has Its Own Song (Video 21) | Fieldwork for Every Island Has Its Own Song (Video 21) | Moving Image | Diving helmet maker
Boat driver
Fieldwork
Interviews
Helmets
Greek Americans
Ecotourism
Sponge divers
Personal experience narratives
Sponge fisheries
Metalwork
Tour guides (Persons) | /fpc/memory/omeka_images/thumbnails/catalog_video.jpg |
Fieldwork for Every Island Has Its Own Song (Video 21)
- Date
- 1987-11
- Description
- One video cassette. 20 minutes. (Copy can be found on FV-10, S 1615.) Interview with diving helmet makers Toth and Lerios; George Billiris' tour boat goes out on tour. Created for the Every Island Has Its Own Song project. The finished product was a documentary about Nikitas Tsimouris, a Greek bagpipe player, and his family, and the Tarpon Springs Greek community he lived in. A co-production of WEDO-TV and the FFP, it was funded in part by the Florida Endowment for the Humanities. Offenbach narrated. Folklorist Michael researched, wrote and produced, and Yvonne Bryant was assistant producer.
- Collection
| Fieldwork for Every Island Has Its Own Song (Video 7) | Fieldwork for Every Island Has Its Own Song (Video 7) | Moving Image | Fishers
Fieldwork
Interviews
Greek Americans
Churches
Sponges
Church architecture
Docks
Stores, retail
Museum collection
Museums
Boats and boating
Sponge divers | /fpc/memory/omeka_images/thumbnails/catalog_video.jpg |
Fieldwork for Every Island Has Its Own Song (Video 7)
- Date
- 1987-11
- Description
- One video cassette. 20 minutes. (Copy can be found on FV-4, S 1615). St. Nicholas church interior continued from V-89-19, George Billiris working on sponge boat, John M. Cocoris memorial at sponge docks, local tourist museum, sponges in Billiris' shop. Created for the Every Island Has Its Own Song project. The finished product was a documentary about Nikitas Tsimouris, a Greek bagpipe player, and his family, and the Tarpon Springs Greek community he lived in. A co-production of WEDO-TV and the FFP, it was funded in part by the Florida Endowment for the Humanities. Offenbach narrated. Folklorist Michael researched, wrote and produced, and Yvonne Bryant was assistant producer.
- Collection
| Greek sponge divers | Greek sponge divers | Still Image | Sponge divers
Fieldwork
Boats
Greek Americans
Occupational groups
Docks
Sponge fisheries
Sponges
Fisheries
Transportation
Waterways
Fishers | /fpc/memory/omeka_images/thumbnails/catalog_photo.jpg |
Greek sponge divers
- Date
- 1988-06-16
- Description
- Twelve color slides. The Folk Arts Apprenticeship Program began in 1983 with a NEA grant of $22,000. The program provided an opportunity for master folk artists to share technical skills and cultural knowledge with apprentices in order to keep the tradition alive. Apprentices must have had some experience in the tradition and agreed to train for at least six months. The first project director was Blanton Owen, later replaced by folklorist Peter Roller. The program was continued each year through 2003.
- Collection
| Images from the Sponge Industry Folk Arts Festival | Images from the Sponge Industry Folk Arts Festival | Still Image | Musicians
Arts, Greek
Greek Americans
Folk festivals
Special events
Demonstrations
Musical instruments
Hides and skins
Bouzouki
Helmets
Craft
Sponge divers | /fpc/memory/omeka_images/thumbnails/catalog_photo.jpg |
Images from the Sponge Industry Folk Arts Festival
- Date
- 1989-06-24
- Description
- 61 color slides. Images of musicans (many are dark), sponge diving helmet makers Toth and Lerios, crafts, and various speakers. The festival was held June 24-25, 1989 to celebrate Tarpon Springs heritage of sponge diving, a practice that dated back to the 1890s. By 1905, when 500 Greek immigrants answered an ad to be sponge divers, the town acquired a distinctive Greek flavor, as the Greek Americans thrived in the sponge industry. At one point, Florida provided 95% of the nation's sponges. Although today over fishing and synthetic materials have undercut the sponge diving industry, the tradition lives on in Greek families, and through tourism.
- Collection
| Images of the Sponge Industry Folk Arts Festival | Images of the Sponge Industry Folk Arts Festival | Still Image | Arts, Greek
Greek Americans
Tsabouna
Musical instrument maker
Sponge divers
Occupational groups
Sponge fisheries
Sponges
Folk festivals
Special events
Food preparation
Cooks | /fpc/memory/omeka_images/thumbnails/catalog_photo.jpg |
Images of the Sponge Industry Folk Arts Festival
- Date
- 1989-06-24
- Description
- One proof sheet with 36 black and white images (plus negatives). Images of sponge diving, sponge processing Greek cooking, Greek craft booths, and Tsimouris making a Tsabouna, a Greek bagpipe. The festival was held June 24-25, 1989 to celebrate Tarpon Springs heritage of sponge diving, a practice that dated back to the 1890s. By 1905, when 500 Greek immigrants answered an ad to be sponge divers, the town acquired a distinctive Greek flavor, as the Greek Americans thrived in the sponge industry. At one point, Florida provided 95% of the nation's sponges. Although today over fishing and synthetic materials have undercut the sponge diving industry, the tradition lives on in Greek families, and through tourism.
- Collection
| Sponge divers | Sponge divers | Still Image | Fieldwork
Boats
Sponge fisheries
Transportation
Waterways
Sponges
Sponge divers | /fpc/memory/omeka_images/thumbnails/catalog_photo.jpg |
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